Consumers increasingly expect voice control capabilities in devices, such as mobile devices, cars, and home assistants—and the hands-free convenience provided by voice control might further be suitable for wearable devices and devices found in factories (where visual displays and/or keyboards may be too small or inaccessible). This proliferation of voice control is a catalyst for the audio sensor/hardware market, which seeks to overcome plateauing performance and eroding prices by integrating higher-value functions and thereby climb the value chain. For example, microphone companies can integrate voice control to create “smart microphones,” and device companies can integrate intelligent voice control into products, substantially improving the design of voice interfaces.
While some sensor markets have successfully integrated higher-value functionality (such as gesture recognition in inertial sensors), audio applications face higher sensor bandwidths and computing loads. This can make it difficult to create smart microphones that meet the power and form factor requirements of end applications. Considering these audio challenges, it might not be appropriate to integrate the traditional signal chain of Analog-to-Digital Converter (“ADC”), Digital Signal Processor (“DSP”), and memory into a microphone, especially if these blocks must be continuously powered.
Accordingly, methods and mechanisms for accurately and efficiently providing an analog solution for voice activity detection may be desired.